This invention relates to a hierarchical processing apparatus and a hierarchical processing method for video and audio data, and more particularly to a hierarchical processing apparatus and a hierarchical processing method for video and audio data suitable for use, for example, to insert a commercial image (CM) between a plurality of broadcasting programs to be broadcast.
A CM insertion apparatus is conventionally available which inserts a video clip (hereinafter referred to simply as clip), for example, for a CM between a plurality of broadcasting programs to be broadcast. The CM insertion apparatus compresses audio/video data in accordance with the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standards to encode a video source of a clip, stores the compressed audio/video data onto a hard disk once, and edits the broadcasting order, broadcasting times and so forth of broadcasting programs and clips to make a program so that a plurality of broadcasting programs and clips may be successively sent out. In actual broadcasting, the broadcasting programs and the clips are switched by a switcher and sent out in accordance with the edited program.
In such a CM insertion apparatus as described above, in order to combine a plurality of clips, information such as, for example, information of broadcasting dates (on air dates) and information of contents of the clips is required. In order to acquire such information, the clips must be reproduced using a monitor to confirm the contents of them once. Therefore, the CM insertion apparatus has a problem in that much time is required for confirmation of contents of clips.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hierarchical processing apparatus and a hierarchical processing method for video and audio data by which program editing can be performed readily.
In order to attain the object described above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hierarchical processing apparatus for video and audio data, comprising an image of a first hierarchy for displaying a plurality of playlists formed from a plurality of clips which are video and audio data and additional information corresponding to the clips in a list and selecting one of the playlists to determine a playlist of an object of modification or a playlist of an object of deletion, and an image of a second hierarchy for selecting one of the plurality of clips and adding, to the selected clip, corresponding additional information to produce or modify the playlist, wherein the image of the first hierarchy and the image of the second hierarchy allow transition therebetween and allow reproduction of the video and audio data of a clip included in the selected playlist at any time.
Preferably, the hierarchical processing apparatus has a retrieving function of retrieving, when one of the clips is to be selected, a desired clip by inputting information for specifying the clip.
Preferably, the image of the first hierarchy and the image of the second hierarchy are graphical user interfaces.
Preferably, the image of the first hierarchy has a function of designating a sort key for determining an order in which the playlists are to be displayed in a list.
Preferably, when video and audio data of a clip included in the selected playlist are reproduced, a mark is displayed which indicates which one of the plurality of clips included in the playlist is reproduced.
When a clip is to be selected from within a list of a plurality of clips formed from video and audio data, the clip may be selected using a mouse, or a clip ID may be inputted from a keyboard.
Preferably, when a clip is to be selected from within a list of a plurality of clips formed from video and audio data, a method of selecting the clip using a mouse and another method of inputting a clip ID from a keyboard can be selected alternatively.
Preferably, a plurality of ones of the playlists can be selected and deleted at a time.
A server in which the video and audio data of the clips are recorded may be connected to the hierarchical processing apparatus and output the video and audio data of the clips based on the playlists.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hierarchical processing method for video and audio data, comprising the steps of (a) displaying a plurality of playlists formed from a plurality of clips which are video and audio data and additional information corresponding to the clips in a list, (b) selecting one of the playlists, (c) determining that the selected playlist should be modified, (d) selecting one of the plurality of clips, (e) adding additional information to the selected clip and adding the clip to the playlist or modifying additional information to the selected clip or else deleting the selected clip, and (f) reproducing the video and audio data of a clip included in the playlist when required.
Preferably, detailed contents of the playlist which is determined to be modified in the step (c) are displayed.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements are denoted by like reference characters.